Aoraki/Mount Cook accommodation: 8 dreamy places to stay
Spending a night or two in Mount Cook Village is an incredible experience. Here are the best accommodation options for a comfortable stay.
Mount Cook Village — officially called simply Aoraki/Mount Cook — is a small cluster of hotels and houses in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
From the village, you can easily access walking tracks, glacier boat rides, and helicopter tours. As Mt Cook Village is in the middle of the Aoraki/Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, it’s also ideal for stargazing.
It’s the ideal adventure base, and being right in the national park it’s also stunningly beautiful.
I’ve got some tips on visiting the village below, or you can skip straight ahead to the accommodation options.
Key takeaways
The Hermitage is the premier place to stay in Mount Cook, but there are other hotels available
Budget travellers can camp at White Horse Hill Campground or stay at the YHA, which I highly recommend
Book in advance, as beds in Mount Cook Village are limited and fill up fast, especially in the peak summer period
A heads up: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you book by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you).
Is it worth staying at Mount Cook?
It is well worth staying overnight in Mount Cook Village. Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is one of the top destinations in the South Island.
Staying overnight gives you more time to explore, and a chance to see the stars in the pristine night skies here.
Hotels in Mt Cook are on the pricier side.
One of the reasons accommodation is expensive in Mt Cook is because the hotels pay the Department of Conservation a concession fee.
So you’ll be paying a slight premium to stay in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, but there are camping options at White Horse Hill and Glentanner if you’re on a budget.
How many days do you need in Mount Cook?
I recommend spending at least one night in Mount Cook. That will give you enough time to walk the Hooker Valley Track, and visit the Tasman Glacier via the walking track or boat.
If you have longer, staying for two nights gives you more time to explore the walking trails and enjoy the natural beauty of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.
Mount Cook Village is 3 hours and 15 minutes to Queenstown, and nearly 4 hours to Christchurch, so it’s a good stopping point on a road trip from Christchurch to Queenstown.
Tips for staying in Mount Cook Village
Although you can buy petrol in the village, it’s much cheaper to fill up your car in Twizel or Lake Tekapo.
There is no grocery store in the village, so if you plan on cooking your own meals, stop for supplies in Tekapo or Twizel.
There are limited options for food in the village (two cafes and one restaurant) so bring enough food for your time there or budget for eating out (dinner at the Hermitage is from $65 for an adult and from what I’ve heard, it’s not exceptional).
The Hermitage Hotel offers a breakfast buffet for $35 in their Alpine Restaurant from 7am-10am. You don’t need to book, and the views from the dining room are stunning so it’s worth checking out even if you’re not staying there.
If you choose to camp at Aoraki Mount Cook Village, keep your things inside, there are kea about.
If you’re on your way to Mount Cook Village and want to know what weather is awaiting you, you can take a peek at the weather web cams.
There is no ATM in the village. You probably won’t need cash, but it’s good to know just in case.
Accommodation in Mount Cook Village
Many of the accommodation options in Mount Cook have similar names. They are all Alpine, Aoraki, or Mount Cook something or other, which can make choosing a place to stay confusing.
No need to worry though — all of the accommodation in Mount Cook Village is stunning. Most rooms will have a view, and they are all warm and clean, with neutral colour palettes that blend into the landscape.
So you can’t go wrong with Mount Cook accommodation. The key difference between all of them is price.
1) The Hermitage — a premium hotel experience
Price: Rooms start from $265
The Hermitage Hotel
The Hermitage is the most iconic place to stay in Mount Cook National Park. The hotel has been around in one form or another since the 1800s.
The Hermitage offers a rooms with views and a very scenic dining room. Their premium rooms offer spectacular views directly across to Aoraki Mt Cook.
Within the sprawling Hermitage complex is you’ll also find the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre and Big Sky Stargazing.
The Hermitage runs the Glacial Explorers boat trip on Tasman lake, which is one of the best ways to see the Tasman Glacier.
2) Aoraki Alpine Lodge — perfect if you want to cook your own meals
Price: Rooms start at $215
Book on their website
Aoraki Alpine Lodge offers a range of rooms, including motel units and chalets. The warm wooden accents give the lodge a cosy atmosphere.
They also have a comfortable guest lounge and a communal kitchen, which is perfect for preparing your own meals to save money.
3) Aoraki Court Motel
Price: Rooms start at $315
Aoraki Court is a nice straightforward motel with exceptional views.
This Mt Cook motel offers self-contained units with kitchenettes, which include a fridge, microwave and small stove top.
The motel is within walking distance to the village amenities. Even though it calls itself a motel, the rooms are hotel quality.
Some of the rooms have even have a spa bath.
4) White Horse Hill Campground — stay closer to nature
Price | $15 per night ($18 from late December to early February)
White Horse Hill is a DOC campsite in Mount Cook. It’s the best option for outdoorsy travellers, or anyone on a tight budget.
It's set in a beautiful location and offers basic facilities for campers, including flushing toilets and cooking shelters.
There are no showers at this campground, and no powered for campervans. If you do want a hot shower, you can find showers in Mount Cook Village, about 2.5 kilometres from the campsite. They cost $2 for 3 minutes.
You can’t beat the views though, so if you want to wake up in an amphitheatre of mountains, you might enjoy this spot.
5) For the budget traveller — YHA Mount Cook
Price: Dorms start at $45
Book: Via the YHA website
The best place for budget travellers to stay in Mount Cook is at the YHA Mount Cook Hostel. I loved this place — it has warm wooden interiors, an amazing kitchen, and nice indoor and outdoor areas.
It’s also right in the centre of Mount Cook Village, so you’re close to all walks and activities.
This YHA closed for a while when New Zealand’s borders closed, and reopened again in December 2022. It’s one of the best accommodation options in Mount Cook so I was very pleased to see it open its doors again!
Update: As quickly as it opened, it closed again. This hostel is now closed for renovations until 1 April 2024.
6) Aoraki Alpine Chalet — privacy for families and groups
The Aoraki Alpine Chalet is great for groups or larger families. You can book the whole chalet, which has three bedrooms and sleeps eight people.
With the chalet to yourself, you’ll be able to light a fire, kick back in the generous living area, and enjoy the views.
There’s even a bathtub to have a nice hot soak after a day of hiking.
It’s rustic and fairly simple, but if you want a comfortable, warm place to stay where you can cook for yourself, this is a great option.
The only catch is that you have to stay a minimum of three nights, which can get expensive and might be inconvenient for your itinerary.
7) Mueller Hut — for the adventurers
Price: $45 per night
Book: On the DOC website
This one is a little more unconventional, but it still counts as a place to stay in Mount Cook.
You’ll need to be organised and book well in advance, but if you snag a bunk in Mueller Hut, you’ll get to experience some of the best views in the whole of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.
8) Glentanner Park — a 20-minute drive from Aoraki Mount Cook Village
Price: Non-powered campsites from $25, dorm rooms from $45
Book on the Glentanner Park website
Glentanner Park is located on the shore of Lake Pukaki, 20 minutes outside of Mount Cook Village. It’s a fully-equipped campground and campervan park, so it’s a great option for budget travellers.
As well as tent and van sites, there are self-contained motel units.
There’s a gorgeous barbecue pavilion and picnic area with views of snowy mountain tops, as well as the Tasman Delta Cafe cafe for snacks.
The showers are hot, free, and in a sleek new bathroom block.
Accommodation near Lake Pukaki
If there’s no availability in Mount Cook Village, you can also find some accommodation near Lake Pukaki.
It takes around 45 minutes to drive from Mount Cook Village to Lake Pukaki.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope you do decide to stay in Mount Cook — it’s such a beautiful place. Here are some more posts to help with your trip planning:
The best hikes in New Zealand (including the Hooker Valley Track)
